Turbine



C. L. HOFF ET AL TURBINE Aug. 4, 1931.l

Filed Aug. 16, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet l P l my .w\ I Il l|l\| I I l, lll.. O l 5:5?. l st. f .\N 'mi Aug. 4, 1931. c. L. HOFF ETAL TURBINE Filed Aug. 16, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 kmh.

I N VEN TQRS Patented Aug. 4, 1931 CARLTON L. HOFF AND THOMAS P. LONG, OF YORK, PEN

ASSIGNOR TO SAID HOFF TURBIN E Application filed August 16, 1928. Serial No. 300,654.

This invention relates to improvements in turbines and While it has been developed for use With Water as motive fluid, other fluids Such as air or steam may be utilized in lieu of Water.

Primarily, the object contemplated is the increase inefficiency of the turbine While, at the'same time, the construction thereof is not complicated but is one that can be produced from a comparatively small number of parts of simple design and sturdy construction, whereby the turbine Will possess great durability. f

More specifically, the invention contemplates a turbine embodying an enclosed shaft having a spiral blade thereon Whose pitch decreases from the inlet for the motive fluid toward the outlet therefor, there also being means for causing the motive fluid to impinge on said blade at points gradually receding from the center of rotation of said shaft as said fluid passes toward the end of the blade of decreased pitch. In this manner, the force of the motive fluid is exerted on the blade at points farther kfrom the center of rotation of the shaft at the time said fluid exerts the greatest pressure on said blade, due to the decreased pitch of the latter. This, in effect, increases the leverage of the blade, With respect to its center of rotation or the shaft on which it is mounted, thereby increasing the efficiency of the turbine.

A further object is the provision of a special head for delivering the motive fluid to the blade so as to further increase the ef-l ficiency ofthe turbine. v

With these. and other objects in view, the invention consists in certain novel details 4o of construction and combinations and arrangements of parts, all as Will hereinafter be morefully described and the novel features thereofV particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings, l

Figure 1 is a plan view of a turbine embodying the present improvements;

Fig. 2 is a vieW taken at right angles to Fig. 1 and partly in section to show the in- 50. terior of the casing; f

Fig.`3 is a detail N SYLVANIA; SAID LONG plan view of the head for the inlet of the casing;

Fig. 4 is a view, partly in section, illustrating a modified form -of Fig. 5 is a longitudi modified form of inlet Fig. 6 is a plan view in Fig. 5.

yIn the form of ap Figs. 1 to 3, the turbine casing 10 is supthe invention;

nal sectional view of a head; and

of the inlet head shown paratus illustrated in ported in a frame 11 which also affords bearings for the shaft 12 t carrying a gear 30 or mitting o be driven, said shaft other means for transpower generated by the turbine to any desired point or apparatus.

lllithin casing 10, shaft 12 is enlarged and tapered with its smaller extremity 14 located at the inlet end of casing 10, and its larger end 15 at the outlet this end, casing 10 chamber 16 `from discharged through a tapered portion extending unbroken t of shaft 12, or vane 18 preferably,

end of said casing. At

communicates with a Which the motive fluid is pipe 17. Fast on this is a spiral blade but not necessarily,

he full length of casing 10. A continuous blade is preferred as greater efficiency is obtained.

In accordance With the pitch of blade 18 toward the discharge end of casing 10 or tothe present invention, is gradually reduced Ward the larger extremity of tapered portion of shaft 12. At the smaller or inlet end of said shaft, there is ai head 19 formed With a plurality of ports which cause the motive fluid entering the inlet end of casing 10 to The head 19 shown in ta'ke a spiral path.

Figs. 2 and 8 is a fixed one, the walls of the ports 2O therein being disposed at an angle to direct the motive through into a spiral path into the casing.

fluid passing therelVith the construction described, motive fluid, Which may be steam, under suitable tocasing 10 through against blade 18 as i either Water, gas or pressure, is delivered .ports 2O and impinges t passes through said casing. Due to the reduced pitch of the blade toward the discharge is offered'to the mov end, greater resistance ement of such motive fluid at this point and, as a consequence,

greater pressure of fo roe is imposed on that 10G 'v in Fig. 1l, to 4conform portion of said blade. YAs has been described, as the pitch of said blade decreases, the diameter of shaft 12 increases and as a result, the force of the motive fluid is exerted on the blade at a point spaced radially further from the rshaft orcenter of rotation of the blade. This, in effect, gives a greater leverage on the shaft thereby increasing the rotative force imposed thereon, and, as a result, the efliciency of they turbine isv greatly increased.

In this form of the invention casing 10, which is cylindrical and of uniform crosssection throughout its length, isfast in frame 11, the shaft being the rotatable element. Blade 18 is, therefore, carried by they shaft as described but it will be apparent that either the shaft or the casing may be the ro'- tative element carrying said blade. To pre- 12 is provided With a vent leakage, shaft Where itV propacking gland 2l at the .point jects through chamber 16.

Instead of having a true cylindrical easinfg, the same may be tapered as shown at BO to the tapered portion of shaft 31. In this modifi-cation, the blade '32 is gradually reduced pitch toward the larger end of the tapered shaft. Y

Figs. 5 and 6 illustrate a modified form of [inlet head wherein there is a housing 34;

adapted to be attached to the inlet end of the turbine casing in lieu of head 19 shown in Fig. 2.. vHthin said housing is a sleeve 35 having in its interior a spider 36 Whose arms 37 form a plurality of ports 38, the surfaces of said arms 37 being so .disposed as to cause the motive 'liuid passing through said ports to be directed spirally into the turbine casing the same as in the vconstruction shown in Figs. 1 to 3. ,Forniedin housing .34tis an inlet 39 which communicates With a passage 4() between sleeve 35 and the interior surface of :said housing. Passage 40 is Vgradual-ly reduced in Width around said sleeve and the latterk is provided with a ,plurality ofv ports il whose Walls are at riphery of the sleeve. Motive fluid-entering portl 39 enters the various ports l1 and in passing through ports 38 formed by the arms of spider 36 will take a spiral courseentering 'the casing of the turbine. It Will be understood' that this forrn yof head may be used with veither form of turbine shown in Figs. 1 to t'.

1VVhat claim is: 1

1. In a fluid current motor, the combination of a .casing having inlet and Aoutlet openings, a tapered .shaft'in :said ,casing betWeensaid openings With its end of majo-r diameter tow-ard said outlet., a :spiral blade encircling zsaid shaft, the pitch of said blade decreasing toward said outlet, Iand means for directing a vmotive .fi-uid Vin a spiral path against saidfblade at said inlet opening.V

'2. lnlva flu-id current inotor,

vhaving a series of ysaid shaft, the pitch of said blade being a tangent to the pethe combina-`r tion of a casing circular in cross-section and having `inlet and outlet openings, ahead at said inlet having ports'therein disposed spi rallyr of said casing, a shaft intermediate said inlet and outlet openings, a spiral blade convolutions encircling gradually decreased toward said outlet, and means for gradually directing iotive fiuid passing throughv the Vports of saidhead tovWard the periphery of said blade and away from the center of rotation of said shaft. 3. In a fiuid current motor, the combination of a casing circular in cross-section and having inlet and outlet openings, a head at said inlet having ports therein `disposed spirally of said casing, a shaft interinediatesaid inlet and outlet openings, a spiral blade composed of a series of convolutions encircling said shaft, the pitch of said blad-e being gradually decreased toward said "outlet, said shaftrbeing tapered toward said head whereby motiv-e fluid entering the casing through said head Willbe ldirected toward the periphery of said blade .and away from the center of rotation of said shaft as it passes through said casing. y y

CARLTON L. HOFF. THOMAS P. LONG. 

